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I’m using a variety of tools that I have acquired over the years, this is a stationary sanding station, it is very handy for flat areas.

This is an oscillating sander it goes up and down and around at the same time, very handy, when this was given to me for my birthday I thought I would never use it, but it is one of my favorite tools. Great for sanding up to the line.

This is a rasp in my drill press.

And there it is the edges sanded smooth.
Next is the quick mount holes, the two front and back are simple, just a slot, the middle is the head ach, first the bracket is 1/8 inch wide and my plate is ¼ so I need to narrow the plate where it goes in. To do that I am going to use my spade bit.

Here is where it line up, you can see the blue marking holes where it will be drilled part way through to narrow the plate.
I has to be L shaped so that it locks in.

Here is a better photo with the flash off so you can see where it needs to be narrowed with the spade bits.
Then after it is narrowed I will drill the holes out to 5/8 so that it slides up and over into a slot.

This is just a rough draft of what I need.
Cut it out then keep grinding until it fits.
There is not as much metal under the front mount that I would have liked but this is just an extra support, and I will probably put the lock up here to help reinforce it.

I did not like how the mount lined up with my saddlebag hanger so I took off about ¾ of an inch in the back of the mount.

I cut it then sanded it, then used it for the pattern for the other side, here it is ready to cut out.

This time I am going to use my band saw, it is a little faster and since the piece is smaller easier to use.
You can see most of my tools are old rummage sale/hand me downs, that I have acquired over the years.

I am just cutting up to the line, leaving plenty to trim.
Next I have clamped both together and I am using to first as a pattern to follow using my router table and a mica flush cut trim bit.

A trim bit has a wheel either on the top or bottom so that it follow a pattern and makes a flush cut.

And there is your exact copy this second side took about two hours to make, a lot faster than the first and that includes the time to change the first side.
The center hole, I am not happy with it yet, and want to change it some before I waste time cutting it out on the second side.
I was able to get the L slot thinned and cut and on the bike for a look.

Next up is making a brace to go between the two sides, but that is later.

I have cut it down to 9 ¼ then squared to ends with my stationary sander.
In order to measure the distance between the two mounts I cut a piece of wood first to make sure of the measurement then transferred it to the t6

I want to give it a little diet, and add a design element, so.

Remember aluminum does not like square corners.

Then to the band saw, this thick aluminum does not cut very well with a jig saw, especially a piece this small.
Notice the water droplets on the piece, aluminum like to stay cool with water to keep it from melting and sticking to the blade, it also works as a lubricant.

And there is your brace, still needs to be drilled and taped for the bolts, and needs a couple of hours with a rasp, also the edges will be beveled.
Power tools will not fit to well on this. I find it interesting that I love spending four/ five hours on a piece that no one else will even notice, but it is features like this that make all the difference.

A little more filing, and marked, center punched and drilled pilot holes for the bolt holes.

Then drill the 13/64 hole for the ¼ 20 tap.

The zip tie is for the depth that I want, make sure to keep the flukes clean on your bit, you can gall your hole real easy by not pulling out the bit every once in a while. The deeper you go the more you want to clean it, here every quarter inch or so.
The paint brush works great for brushing out the chips, you also need to keep the hole lubricated with cutting oil.

I like to start my tap in the drill using just my hand to rotate it. Using the drill makes sure the tap is lined up with the hole.

Then use your tap handle. Remember to use cutting oil and keep your tap cleaned out. Also you do not want one continuous chip, go in a half a turn and out a quarter, when you back it out you will hear your chip break. This way you do not end up with a big spiral chip at the end of your blind hole or worse yet wound around your tap as you are pulling it out causing the tap to gall your new threads.

The last thing that I did was bevel the edges a little.

When I am done I will put a little more bevel on it, but for now this is fine. The reason for the bevel now is so that I do not have such a thick edge to file/sand, no use sanding a half inch thick piece of t6 when I can bevel it down to 3/8.
The brace it taking shape, I still have another couple of hours filing and sanding then a couple polishing it. But that is a no brainer so I enjoy that, it is starting to feel good in the hand. There is nothing more rewarding than a piece of aluminum that you create in your mind, and then make.
There is going to be another brace up towards the front.
I don’t want any side to side movement or worse yet to break the cross brace because it was not strong enough or gave it enough support.
More later.

I’m getting ready to mount the pack, the back had to be trimmed about a quarter inch and the front just a shade to fit the bottom of the pack.
I also wanted to change the front just a little.

It stuck out too much in front of the pack.

Here is what I am thinking about the brace.

I have another piece of flat bar, this one 1/2x3” instead of the 2” to make a second brace, it will go farther up toward the front.
Now time to make the mount brackets.
This is 1 ½”x2” angle, I am using my chop saw to cut them one inch long.

Drill a quarter inch hole.

Clean them up, round the corners.

And there is your mount brackets, almost done.
I need to alter them some, when I started to put them on I don’t like how big they are so I am going to cut the long side down to one inch making it a 1x1 ½ angle.
Also the chop saw did not do a very good job of making them square, so need to work on that. I want these mount brackets to be pretty uniform so that they can be interchnagle and not location specific.

And of course I can’t do anything the easy way, I want them mounted on the inside with the long part coming over the mount.
Kind of like this.

This way all you will see from the outside is a small button head. Of course I need to cut a slot so the angle set in it.
I am trying to get an idea how I want the lightening holes drilled, I am thinking between the mounts and braces, starting in the back about 3/8” then getting bigger as they go toward the front. Also a set going down to the quick connect point getting smaller as they go.
I need to get all this mounted and the brace positioned before I can see what it looks like to make any decisions on that.

So like I said I did not like the brackets so big, so cut them down to 1x1 ½

I got a new blade for the band saw, the band saw work so much better than the chop. I’ve marked my side rail mount and cutting the slots for the angles.

Clean them up with the Dremel.

Then the file, this angle has a radiuses inner side where the two sides come together, it makes the angle stronger, remember aluminum does not like square corners. You can get it without the radius but most come with it.
So you also need to file for the radius to clear.

When you take your time you can get your pieces to fit perfect, or at least perfect where the mother in law looks.

And only five more to go.

Here is what it looks like from inside where it will be hard to see.

These will have button head bolts and acorn nuts so they will be part of the design. I was tempted to go with rivets but want to be able to take them apart to polish them in the future.

And that is what it will look like from the outside, of course the brace will be on the inside.
Here is Photoshop, where I think I will put the lightening holes.

Man I’m so rusty on Photoshop, this is just hacked together but you get the idea. The center hole needs to be changed and maybe some holes running down to the quick connect.
Well that is where I am at.